Can "the" be omitted?

What is worth digesting is that prior to President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit, the U.S. mainstream media made a publicity of the so-called “Report on Secret Diplomacy,” producing an effect that Medvedev “was inclined to strengthen the Russia-U.S. relationship.” But as soon as Medvedev had wrapped up his American visit, the United States announced that it had ferreted out a large number of Russian spies, pointing directly to the KGB. Russia is especially alert to this. Some media and knowledgeable persons point out sharply that this is no ordinary event; rather, it is a “well-schemed,” “smart arrangement,” with some form of coordination from the pro-American forces within Russia. Its purpose is clear: to sow discord between members of the Russian leadership, to undermine Medvedev-Putin combination, while also sabotaging the Russia-China strategic partnership.